


Courage

by Cyada



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time
Genre: Gan's horse is a she, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-12
Updated: 2015-05-12
Packaged: 2018-03-30 07:01:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3927307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cyada/pseuds/Cyada
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Malon desperately tries to save a certain horse and discovers her own bravery along the way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Courage

**Author's Note:**

> disclaimer: I wrote most of the fic before I really got into LoZ, and for the longest time I thought that Ganondorf’s horse was a she - no idea why, it just seemed to fit - and now it’s one of these annoying headcanons that won’t leave you even if they’re directly contradicted by canon. So yeah, that’s why there’s a, uh, fem!GerudoStallion in this one. Also because BLATANT SYMBOLISM.
> 
> If you've never talked to Talon while wearing the Gerudo Mask in OoT, please do.

It was a scorching hot day on the ranch and Malon had to shield her eyes from the sun as she tended to the horses. She wasn't supposed to do it. To tell the truth, she shouldn't even go inside the paddock alone. But Ingo tried to evade his chores again and her daddy was busy with the cuccos and cows, and she loved the horses too much to let them starve. Afterwards she took to grooming them. She was just about finished brushing little Epona when something caught her eye: someone was standing by the fence on the other side of the paddock, looking at the horses, and even from afar she could tell it wasn't anyone she knew. He was tall and strangely clothed. Who was he? A patron seeking for a mount?

In her musings she noticed too late she did something very stupid: took her steady hand from Epona's flank. The foal jerked with such might Malon stumbled and almost fell to the ground. When she found her center again, she looked at the stranger feeling a blush of embarassment spreading hot on her cheeks; the person didn't move, but there was no doubt they had to see what just happened. She rushed to them to try and explain herself.

The closer she was, the more she realized just how tall this person was: much taller than Talon or Ingo, or anyone else she had ever seen. Sun glinted on many jewels and golden accents that adorned his form. With red hair and dark skin he looked similar to Gerudo women that she saw during the rare visits in the Castle Town, but they were all lanky and sneaky and he was standing in the broad daylight, tall and wide and confident, and Malon couldn't help but be intimidated by this confidence. She felt even smaller because of how intensely he looked at her with strange, golden eyes. They seemed almost wrong. But as much as she wanted to run and hide in the house, she was well-behaved, and dad would be very disappointed, too.

“Good morning, sir,” she said politely. “How can I-”

“Can you read?”

The sudden blunt question caught Malon off guard.

“Y... yes, sir,” she answered.

He retrieved a sealed letter and gave it to her. She took just one look and almost dropped it; pictured on the seal was the emblem of the Royal Family.

“I,” she stammered, “I believe you should talk with mister Talon, sir. I'm sure he's-”

“Asleep in the cucco shack?”

Her heart skipped a beat. No, oh no...

“I'm sorry, I'm terribly sorry...” She bowed, dread making its way down her spine. “If you give me just a minute, sir, I'll go and wake him up, just a minute...”

“I've wasted enough time already. Read it.”

She'd never felt more thankful to Talon for teaching her how to read; the tall man didn't seem angry, but his patience was probably starting to run thin. She broke the seal adorned with the emblem and began to read. The letter said the man, Lord Ganondorf, was to be enabled to choose any horse he wished from the ranch that would then be paid for by the Castle as a sign of friendship, and also – what made Malon hold her breath – that he was a leader of the Gerudo tribe, their ambassador and an ally of the King of Hyrule and it would be unwise to deny him.

She dared to rise her gaze. Lord Ganondorf was still standing there, not even looking at her, but observing the horses.

“My Lord.” She curtsied. “I apologize for my ignorance. If you allow me, I'll fetch someone that will be of more help...”

But the man had already entered the paddock and she had no choice but to follow. Lord Ganondorf moved fast from horse to horse, examining them without much enthusiasm, as if he was sure he wouldn't find any to his liking. Malon had to run to keep up with him. At least the animals didn't mind the unfamiliar man, and even seemed to be much calmer and more manageable than usual. Lord Ganondorf either had a lot of experience with horses or there was something about him that made them obedient. Malon felt relieved; patrons could get really unpleasant if a horse did something they didn't approve of.

As soon as they came close to Epona, however, she ran off. Lord Ganondorf furrowed his brow and approched her again, and once again she escaped.

“Oh, I'm sorry,” said Malon. “She's a bit shy. I can call her if you want, sir.”

“Call her?” he repeated with doubt.

Malon nodded and started to sing. It was a simple song of her own with no words, just tones, that always made Epona come to her curiously. But this time no matter how long and beautifully she sang, the filly kept to the other side of the paddock, even though she kept glancing at them.

“Hm.” Lord Ganondorf crossed his arms. “That was a predictable loss of my time. As brash of a creature as her won't listen even to its owner. I've seen it almost trample you.”

“Oh, no, Epona is a wonderful horse,” Malon said quickly. “And that earlier, it was my fault, really. She's been only recently weaned and I should know better than to be careless around her. Our horses are all very gentle.”

“Are they.”

His tone was not pleasant. Malon cowered and instinctively grabbed her brooch, which restored a little of her courage. It always did; the metal ornament reminded her of mum, and mum has always been a brave person. She always knew how to talk with dissatisfied patrons, too. Malon wished she had that knowledge right now.

Lord Ganondorf noticed her gesture.

“Beautiful brooch,” he said matter-of-factly.

“Th-thank you, sir.”

“I believe I've seen the ranch owner having a similar one.”

“Yes. My mum bought three so me, her and dad could wear them. She said it would help us feel closer to each other. That was before she... before.”

Whenever she mentioned that painful day, people would always look at her with pity and speak to her softly, but Lord Ganondorf was silent and his expression unchanged. She couldn't decide if it made her feel better or worse.

“Tell me, child,” he finally said, “do you know a white mare by the name of Storm? She is considered the fastest horse of the Castle stables. A word is she's been brought up on this ranch.”

“Oh, Storm!” Malon exclaimed, thankful for the topic change. “Yes, I remember her well! She was our second best racing horse until His Majesty bought her two years ago.”

“The first one would be Rhiannon, sir. She's Epona's mother... there, by the fence. The black one.”

Lord Ganondorf looked where she pointed, and the instant his gaze fell upon the horse something in his golden eyes glinted, something that Malon wasn't sure she saw for real. He slowly made his way towards Rhiannon, all the way speaking softly in a weird language. The mare looked quite happy in his presence, even more when he scratched her behind the ears. She nickered in response. Lord Ganondorf actually smiled a little at that. Some of Malon's concerns disappeared when she saw this smile, but she still wasn't feeling completely at ease around the man.

“Is she a true black?” he asked.

“As true as can be, sir.”

“Hm.” He set to check Rhiannon's teeth and eyes. “That's not a common trait for the Hyrulean horses to have. The Gerudian, yes... but then again, they never seem truly black, not in the sun of the desert that bleaches every single one if given enough time. Such a pity...” He turned to Malon again. “Why would His Majesty of Hyrule buy the slower horse two years ago, I wonder?”

“Storm was a gift for Her Highness Zelda's birthday. I think she wanted a horse that was calm and steady, and Rhiannon's always been a bit wild. I mean... not in a bad sense, or anything.”

Lord Ganondorf petted the mare's neck absent-mindedly for a moment before saying, “If she's a good ride, it'll be her I'll take.”

Malon went rigid. “Surely...” she stumbled, “surely His Majesty told you that you could have any other horse but Rhiannon, sir. She's been here forever, she helps us win the races and earns money for the ranch, and His Majesty knows it... and she's a mother...”

“Haven't you read the letter? It says I can pick any horse I wish. Look closely: it's written on royal vellum. That means your King wishes it to be true, and if he wishes something to be true, it will be.”

Malon looked at the letter once more and, indeed, that's what was written there.

“Now, if you please, I'd like to check how good of a ride is she.”

“Excuse me, sir, but then I really have to bring someone else. Nobody is allowed to ride the horses unless a person from the ranch knows. I mean... an adult person. I'll just go and wake-”

“Malon!” came an angry voice from the ranch buildings. “Malon, why are there foreign horses tied by the barn? Why didn't you tell me we have guests?!”

Ingo appeared, furious and panting, and ran straight to them as fast as his poor condition let him. He eyed Ganondorf up and down suspiciously.

“And who are you?” He regarded the jewelry and gold and added, “my good sir?”

Malon quickly showed him the letter. Ingo took it with reluctance, but the further he read, the paler his face became. As soon as he finished he practically bent his body in half and asked in a sweet, servile voice, “Wha-whatever can I do for you, my dear Lord?”

“Well, for starters... I have found the ranch owner in the shack, most probably passed out drunk.” Lord Ganondorf's voice was loud and stern and Malon cowered in reflex. “This child was tending to the horses without any help or supervision. Is that how the Kingdom's horses are being raised?”

Ingo's expression changed to pure horror. For a while he just stood there, frozen, then he whirled around and jumped to Malon.

“Malon, is that true?” He grabbed her shoulders forcefully.“„I have told you countless times not to go near the horses alone! They could harm you! How could you be so careless, my darling, my little sweetheart! What gave you the idea? Was it,” the tone of his voice grew suspicious, “was it that you saw Talon asleep and thought to feed the horses yourself?”

“I...” The grip on her shoulder grew more painful. “Yes, I... yes.”

“I knew it!” Ingo exclaimed, releasing her at last and turning back to Lord Ganondorf. “You see who I have to work for, my Lord, you see how me and my dearest girl have to get by... If only there was a way to change it...” he finished, an unspoken suggestion hanging in the air.

“Hmph,” was the only answer Lord Ganondorf mustered before disregarding Ingo completely and telling Malon, “I wish to finally ride the horse, now.”

“Of course, of course...” Ingo chimed in. “I'll just bring the equipment-”

“No need,” Lord Ganondorf interrupted and whistled piercingly loud.

Out of nowhere appeared two Gerudo women and rushed to their side. One of them was carrying a giant saddle. It was made in a style that Malon had very rarely seen, adorned with weird patterns and glinting little jewels, and looked terribly heavy. The Gerudo, however, managed to hold it under one arm without any troubles. She noticed Malon's staring and sent her a crooked smile, which caused the girl to immediately turn her sight away. Both women snickered. They bridled and saddled Rhiannon, then helped their leader mount her. Lord Ganondorf said something that Malon couldn't understand to the mare, stroking her mane. They started a slow trot around the race track.

“Well, that's gonna take him a while,” one of the Gerudo women commented. “Hey, you!” She waved at Ingo. “Go give our horses some water. They're by the barn.”

“You heard them, Malon,” Ingo said automatically, “bring some water for their horses.”

“I was talking to you, asshole!” the Gerudo shouted and Malon felt a blush spreading on her cheeks. “Or are you trying to tell us you're weaker than a ten-year-old?”

Ingo's face reddened. He turned around and walked toward the barn, curses muttered under his breath.

“Kid, mind if we hang out inside the paddock for a while?” the woman asked. “Just to keep out of the way.” Seeing Malon's expression, she laughed and said, “Don't worry, we're not going to steal the horses. Not from you, anyway,” she added with a grin. Malon wasn't sure what to think of that statement. “And Ganondorf for some weird reason likes to sometimes make people want to give him stuff instead of just forcing them. He says it's more satisfying. Yeah, as if you could fill yourself up with satisfaction.”

They got through the paddock gate. One of the Gerudo stretched her back and yawned, the other leaned against the fence nonchalantly. The horses came to them, curious as ever, and tried to check them for treats, but were pushed away without hesitation. Malon felt awkward in the company, even more so when one woman produced out of nowhere and bit into an apple that looked suspiciously like the ones stashed in the ranch pantry.

Hoofbeat grew louder and they all turned to the race track. Rhiannon galloped past them with speed Malon truly didn't anticipate. The mare was already extremely fast in races, of course, but the ease with which she ran now was new. Malon suddenly remembered an old tale that said each horse was born to belong to their perfect rider, only one in the entire world, and only if they found each other could they truly discover their potential. For some reason the thought made her extremely sad.

“Whoa, look at them go!” one of the Gerudo exclaimed. “I bet you haven't seen nobody else ride that fast, eh, kid? Hey, you alright?”

“Yes, yes, it's just... I'll miss her so badly. Rhiannon's been there since I remember. She's like a part of the ranch. I don't know what I'll do when she's gone.”

“Cheer up.” The Gerudo put her hand on Malon's shoulder. “Ganondorf will take care of your horse alright. She's gonna have it so good with him she'll forget you even existed.”

“I suppose so,” Malon admitted. “But I don't know how Epona will react, she's so young... it's Rhiannon's daughter.”

“Oooh, she had a foal? Can we see her?”

“Of course. But I don't know if she'll come near me. She didn't want to earlier today,” Malon said, but still took a deep breath and began to sing. This time Epona ran straight to her. She let herself be petted and cooed over by the Gerudo. Malon thought that perhaps she shouldn't be scared of the two women; they seemed to know and genuinely like horses, and in her little heart no such person could be really bad. She liked the confidence in their moves.

All of a sudden Epona raised her head, looked at something far behind Malon and took off with a neigh. The Gerudo cried in surprise. The three of them were left staring after the foal, who apparently suddenly felt much better a chain away.

“Wow,” one of the women said. “Very moody, that one.”

Malon turned around. By the fence stood Rhiannon. Lord Ganondorf mounted her as casually and sure as if he was always meant to ride her. He, too, was looking at Epona. After a few seconds, though, he moved his sight and locked eyes with Malon. And once again she saw that glint, that weird _thing_ , that unsettled her. It passed as fast as it appeared.

“Oh shit, he's done,” hissed one of the Gerudo women and they both hurried through the paddock gate. Malon followed them slowly.

“She'll do,” Lord Ganondorf said. “We just need the ranch owner for the formalities. Go to the cucco shack, wake up the man you find there and bring him here.”

One of the Gerudo nodded and headed towards the ranch buildings, while the other was given Rhiannon's reins. Then – what caused Malon to flinch - Lord Ganondorf put a giant hand on her back, He proceeded to steer her a few feet away, then crouched before her, as if he wanted them to talk in private. She still had to raise her eyes; Lord Ganondorf was simply that tall.

“I want to tell you something important,” he said in a low voice. “As wonderful of a mount as Rhiannon is, I can't help but think about her foal. About little Epona. You see, I'm deeply concerned about her. She is so young. So innocent. I can't imagine how tough it would be for such a little thing to suddenly lose her mother.” He paused and brushed away stray hair from her face. “Don't you think,” he continued, “that it would be better for little Epona if she could go under the same owner as her mother? How about I buy her too? What do you say, Malon?”

For a second she wanted to say: yes, of course, it would be for the best – but then she stopped and thought. Mum wouldn't agree so easily. And mum had always told her that many people would try to make her do stuff, but she didn't actually have to do anything that wasn't necessary. And she didn't want to sell Epona. She would miss her, and the ranch would miss her, and the filly seemed to be awfully afraid of Lord Ganondorf, even more than Malon herself.

She held her brooch tightly and said, “I'm terribly sorry, sir, but with Rhiannon gone, we'll need Epona for the future races. And she's way too small yet to be taken from here, much less to be ridden, sir, and would be of no use.”

“Oh, I can wait. I am a patient man. When will she be ready for purchase? In a few months?”

“In... in seven years.”

It was the first number that popped into her head, the number of years Rhiannon had lived. Malon was young and seven years seemed to her like an eternity. And whenever daddy told the patrons to come back “in a few years”, they very rarely bothered them again.

“Seven years,” Lord Ganondorf repeated flatly.

His eyes glinted once again. Malon felt a sudden wave of anxiety wash over her, as if in place of a man for a split second stood a monster, and she momentarily forgot how to breathe. But in this moment Talon shouted her name from afar and she was able to look away.

“Well then,” Lord Ganondorf said and stood up, “we have a deal. Seven years and not a day more.”

She stayed where he'd left her until Talon came and told her to go wait in the house. She practically ran there, forcefully shutting the door. Great relief came upon her when she realized she finally got away from Lord Ganondorf, and his eyes, and his words.

Half an hour passed before Talon finally appeared in the house, turning the royal letter in his hands, his brow furrowed.

“Daddy?” Malon asked. “Did he really took Rhiannon?”

“Yes, yes he did.” Talon answered. “But don't worry, I'll go to the Castle and ask for an audience. If it takes a trip to His Majesty to do anything in this country, let it be. I'll tell him we've never agreed to sell Rhiannon and we need her back from that man.” He sighed deeply. “What a strange fellow, by the way. An alright one, but strange. He wanted to buy Epona too, but as soon as I joked I have to ask you first he got really angry and told me he didn't want to anymore. Hope I didn't offend him or anything.”

For a while he was silent, just looking at her, and then he said in a quiet voice,

“I'm sorry, Malon. I failed you.”

“No, you didn't!” she was quick to say, but Talon only shook his head.

“I did. I wasn't there when you needed me the most. I'm so sorry.” He hugged her tightly.

“But that's just because you work so hard all day and night and you're tired!” she protested.

“Malon-”

“I can get by myself fine!”

Talon looked at her pout and shook his head again.

“You are so brave,” he said. „Just like your mother.”

Malon didn't say it out loud, but she thought that he was mistaken: she felt afraid all the time, of things like darkness, and keese, and panicked horses, and Lord Ganondorf, and mum wouldn't be afraid of any of these for sure. Mum was never afraid.

 

\---

 

The next few months flew by without any further unpleasant visits. Epona appeared somewhat lost and anxious for two weeks, but after that it seemed she forgot about her mother and moved on with her carefree childhood. Still, she became wary of strangers. It took a while for her to take a liking to anybody beside Malon – namely, to a boy in green clothes accompanied by a fairy that one day appeared on the Ranch out of nowhere, who even managed to learn the song that made Epona come to them. The boy then left as suddenly as he'd appeared and Malon didn't see him again.

Meanwhile, Talon was granted an audience, but discovered there was no way for them to be given Rhiannon back.

“Since she was gifted as a symbol of alliance, it could be seen as an act of political aggression to suddenly take her back,” he was told, „and we don't need yet another war. We're sorry for the misunderstanding; the agreement should include only the horses Lon Lon Ranch was ready to sell, but somewhere a mistake was made. Since the fault lies with the Castle, the Ranch will be made up to in rupees.”

Malon felt terribly dissapointed by that decision. Betrayed, even. For the first time it occured to her that maybe, just maybe kings didn't make good decisions only. She quickly dismissed that idea – she didn't like to think about it for too long – but still there was a little part of her that wished somebody would teach the Good King a lesson or two. The thought entertained her for the next few days.

Then came the mailman, pale and with a shake in his gestures, and told them the news.

The King was dead. His daughter Zelda had gone missing. But the throne stood not empty; the shocked Kingdom discovered a new ruler had taken it, a man from the western desert, and he would be from then on known as the Great Ganondorf.

Over the Castle and the Town appeared dark clouds that grew bigger and blacker every day, and every day more people fled to Kakariko Village. Malon watched their journeys from afar. She felt terrible about the whole thing, of course, but as long as nothing happened to the ranch everything was alright.

Then, after about six months of the new King's rule, Talon woke her up in the middle of the night.

“My little Malon,” he said quietly. “My sunshine, my everything. Listen carefully. Something happened and I can't stay here anymore. Don't worry, I know a place in Kakariko Village. I'll be okay.”

“What? We're moving?”

“No, Malon.” He looked at her in anguish. “It's only me who's moving. You'll stay here. You're gonna have your own little bedroom. You'll be with Ingo, he's gonna be the owner from now on, don't worry about the ranch or the animals. And you can always visit me in Kakariko if you want. Please don't cry, Malon. Wait...”

He looked around, grabbed her brooch and put it in her hands.

“See, Malon? You can think of me whenever you wear this. I know I will always think of you when I wear mine. Me and your mother, we both will be with you forever, no matter what. So be brave for me, my star, alright? Be brave for me.”

 

\---

 

Malon couldn't understand why her dad had to go away and why Ingo got the Ranch so suddenly. A mistake was made somewhere, she suspected, just like it had been with Rhiannon. The longer she thought about it, the more she was certain that Lord- that King Ganondorf surely didn't mean any harm to the Ranch or to her. He didn't seem to be that bad of a person when she had talked with him. He'd probably taken Ingo's words about Talon to heart and tried to make everything better. That's what kings did, right? And at least that would mean there was something she could do about her situation.

She'd go to the Castle, she fantasized, and make the servants lead her straight to the king. Then she'd say that there was a mistake, and her daddy should come back to the Ranch, and Ingo shouldn't be the owner, and the king would be astounded and give the Ranch to Talon again. And then she'd say they need Rhiannon back, and he'd ask why, and she'd tell him all the reasons she came up with, and he'd agree and give Rhiannon back. It was a brilliant plan in her eleven-year-old mind. She even asked people buying eggs and milk at the weekly fair in Kakariko Village if they were in the Castle lately. Nobody wanted to talk about it. But someone, finally, mentioned a person that had been there.

There was a man that had once played and cared for the giant organ of the Castle's chapel, and some time after the Good King's death he received a letter written on royal vellum that ordered him to stand before the Great Ganondorf. He obeyed without question, happy he apparently still had his job. When he got back to Kakariko Village, however, he was not the same; he became withdrawn and silent, and as much as a touch could send him straight into panic. He didn't want to tell anyone what had happened in the Castle or what he'd seen there. He would just warn everybody that listened not to go there, and if they do, to not speak with the King.

The story sounded, admittedly, a bit alarming, but it meant that there _was_ a way to go to the Castle and speak with King Ganondorf, and that thought kept little Malon's spirits up.

Ingo got used to his new role fast. Soon Malon found herself doing a lot more of the everyday work. Whenever she tried to protest, Ingo always got scary and intimidating, so she did her chores without question. But years passed and Malon felt herself growing stronger, wiser, braver, and decided she wouldn't take it anymore. She didn't care for her own safety. Unfortunately, Ingo knew this and, when she denied him, turned to mistreat the horses instead. They were, along with her dad in Kakariko Village, all the seventeen-year-old Malon had still cared for and couldn't stand hurting. At least, she thought to herself, at least she still had Epona, who grew up to be a beautiful mare.

But then – it seemed like Malon was fated to encounter a constant „but then” in her life - one day Ingo went inside the house with a letter written on royal vellum and said, “Feed and groom Epona well today. She has to be ready for the road tomorrow.”

“What do you mean, for the road?” Malon asked surprised.

“I'm taking her to the Castle tomorrow. The Great Ganondorf wants to buy her.”

Malon's breath hitched. “We can't give him Epona!” she practically shouted.

“Huh? Why not?”

“We... need her for the races!”

“Eh, races,” he waved his hand, “they aren't as big as they once were. And she's never first anyway.”

“I'm sure she would be if only we found her perfect rider!”

“You and your stupid fairytales! There's no such thing as a perfect rider! Look, Epona is practically a wild horse, yeah? She's never gonna win a race with that temper. I don't know why the Great Ganondorf wants her, but I'm sure he has his reasons.”

“Can I at least see the letter?”

There wasn't anything extraordinary about it. She tried to look for a loophole, or anything at all that could help her keep Epona, but there wasn't anything. Just a simple, even polite request to bring the mare to the Castle on the given date, which was the next day. They were to take the letter with them; the gold-adorned writing and the King's seal would be needed to let the guards know they can come through.

Then Malon noticed the letter was, in fact, addressed to her. And then she took a closer look at the date: it happened to be exactly seven years from the day Rhiannon was taken.

She stared at the letter until Ingo snatched it back in impatience.

“Well, there you have it,” he said. “I'm going to the Castle tomorrow morning. You're going to stay and look after the ranch.”

Malon didn't try to argue. Instead she waited for the night to fall and sneaked into the stables, fully intending to just take Epona and run away somewhere, anywhere. Unfortunately, someone was already waiting there.

“Do not think I don't know what you are planning to do,” Ingo said with a cunning expression. “You want to take Epona to the Great Ganondorf yourself! You want to take the credit for all the hard work I've done with my very own hands! Do you think you're smart? Well, tonight I'm going to sleep right here, by Epona's stable, so you won't be able to open it without alerting me. I have the letter as well. Try to do anything now.”

Malon couldn't do anything else but return to the house. Her plan failed. But there was something else she could do, something that both scared her and filled her with hope: she will go to the Castle herself. She will meet with King Ganondorf and talk to him. She'll tell him about the ranch, about Ingo, about how Epona is not even a good mount and that he can't really hold on to the promise made long ago by a ten-year-old. She put on her best clothes and polished the brooch. Around midnight she sneaked into the barn again and saw that Ingo was, as she'd hoped, sound asleep. It took a minute before she managed to remove the shiny letter from his tight grasp; a few times she was sure he woke up, but luck was kind. Even usually excitable Epona stayed silent, as if knowing that it's all for her good.

Malon opened the gate of Buttercup, lead him outside and prepared him for the road. He wasn't the fastest horse, but it wasn't speed she was looking for; not counting Epona, Buttercup was the bravest. Malon rode out of the ranch and headed for the abandoned Castle Town. They had to jump over the moat, but it didn't bother her that much, nor did the dark abandoned buildings on the sides of the main road, but what she saw a minute later did.

Something that looked like corpses, deformed human corpses, gathered on the square around the once beautiful fountain. One of them looked at her and she froze, fear binding her tightly like a rope. Only when they started walking towards her did she finally recover. She urged Buttercup to run and rode around the square, trying hard not to look at the slowly moving monsters, and when they found themselves on the hilly road to the castle, they sprang into gallop. In between the town and the castle there were no guards. At least no human guards; there were monsters that Malon tried not to notice as they ran by, her form low over Buttercup's back as if it would protect her from an attack.

Then she saw the castle, dark and twisted, and tears of terror welled in her eyes. She stopped a good distance from what looked like a lake filled with slow-moving red fire. Silence engulfed them.

 _What am I doing here?_ , Malon thought pressing a fist to her mouth, fighting an urge to scream, _Why did I think it was a good idea?_

Something sharp pricked her side causing her to momentarily stop breathing. A giant lizard-like monster was poking her with a sword and screeching. When she just sat there, motionless, the monster apparently thought she was an intruder and backed the sword off as if in preparation to drive it through her.

“No, no! Stop!” Malon screamed and retrieved the shiny letter with trembling hands. “Look! It's from the king! I have to go to the king!”

The monster looked at it for a few long seconds, and then produced an incredibly loud screech. Buttercup reared up and Malon had to calm him down with her voice even if she felt terrified herself. The screech had apparently caused a giant stone bridge to appear from nowhere over the fire. The monster beckoned Malon to come along and headed to the castle. She had no choice but to follow.

The lizard creature showed her the way to the castle stables. They looked surprisingly ordinary, if spacious and rich. Malon felt some confidence come back to her; this environment she was familiar with. She led Buttercup to an empty place. She briefly wondered over whether she should unsaddle him and finally decided to do so; she had no idea how long she'd take. The thought caused her to shiver. As she unfastened the straps she realized that if they were indeed in the stables of King Ganondorf, it meant Rhiannon had to be there too, and her still young heart fluttered at the thought of seeing an old friend.

“Excuse me, mister... mister,” she said to the lizard beast that kept a watchful eye on her the whole time, “since I am to provide His Majesty with a mount, I'd like to see what condition the horses are kept in here. I want to be sure they are cared for.”

The monster followed her when she walked down the stables, but didn't try to stop her. Malon read each name plate carefully. Some of the horses she knew, some she'd never heard about. Finally she found herself by the biggest stable and knew instantly who it belonged to. Even still, reading the name on the plate made her smile.

Then she looked at the horse inside and felt the smile disappear.

“Rhiannon?” she asked.

There was nothing wrong per se with Rhiannon. She looked bigger than Malon remembered, and even more intensely black, but it could be just the poor lighting. Judging from the looks alone, she'd been properly groomed and cared for, her coat was healthy and her stable luxurious. Still, there was something that made Malon uneasy. Rhiannon turned her head hearing her name, but didn't do anything else that would mean she had recognized her friend. When presented with a treat, she didn't try to eat or even sniff it; she just kept staring at Malon, and her eyes were the weirdest thing. They almost seemed to glow.

“It's me. It's Malon. Remember?”

But even when petted and scratched behind the ears, the horse didn't react. And it was this moment that finally caused Malon to lean on the gate, hide her face in her hands and wail. She was alone in a dark, monster-filled castle, away from everything she knew, not sure whether she would ever emerge from these halls again. But no, she thought with a glint of hope, in fact she could go home right now. She could just tell the lizard creature that she had taken with her the wrong horse – which was technically true – and return to the ranch, to her sweet, sun-touched ranch, and...

...and watch Epona be taken here, where there's no sun and no grass, and made to forget the happiness and the carefree life.

She took the brooch in her hands and squeezed so hard the edges hurt her fingers.

“Take me to the King,” she said to the monster.

They got out of the stables, walked through dark empty halls, climbed a flight after a flight of giant stairs. Malon realized she wasn't exactly presentable: her eyes red and puffy, the edges of her dress black with soot (where did it come from?). But the brooch was still shiny on her chest and it made her feel a little better.

 _It's just a talk with a patron_ , she thought to herself, _just a simple business. Remember what mum always said. Stay calm and bargain fiercely, keep to what you know and believe in, and you'll be alright._

A giant door opened before them, revealing the throne room. Malon walked inside surely, but casted her eyes down as a sign of respect. Eventually the monster halted her and tapped her shoulder, what she took as a sign to kneel.

“Your Majesty,” she started, “I have come to you from the Lon Lon Ranch. I wanted to-” And both her voice and her thoughts failed when she raised her eyes.

King Ganondorf sat upon the throne surrounded by monsters. Like Rhiannon, he seemed much bigger than Malon remembered, and just like with Rhiannon, there was something inherently _wrong_ about him. There was a sick, almost green tint to his skin, made worse by contrast with wild red hair. And his eyes – his eyes were golden with red and they glinted, all the time glinted with madness and anger and power and greed and Malon felt so sick to her stomach she had to avert her gaze. Suddenly she understood that from all the beings she'd seen that day, all the monsters and creatures, that man terrified her the most. For seven long years she'd been sure that nobody could fill her with more fear than Ingo. The notion seemed so ridiculous now.

“Well?” King Ganondorf prompted, his voice deep and dark like a chasm.

Malon took a deep breath and started as calm and firm as she could, “The horse you requested of us, Your Majesty, has fallen with a sickness. We don't know yet what exactly happened to her, but the doctors have told us she is of no condition to leave the ranch. She probably won't recover until at least three months from now. Therefore we ask you, Your Majesty, to forgive us and to either accept the delay or choose any other horse. Either way, we will gladly cover the costs. If only-”

“Are you trying to lie to me?”

All of Malon's quickly gathered wits shattered in an instant, leaving behind a single thought:

_I'm going to die._

If she wasn't already on her knees, she would collapse to the floor, that weak all her muscles suddenly got. She couldn't do it. There was _no way_ she could do it. If she kept lying, she would just get in further danger (and why had she thought a fake illness would be a good idea, oh why, it could be checked so easily), but there was still a minuscule chance he would believe her, a chance that would instantly be gone would she confess the lie. And if she did confess, what would he do? Would he kill her or forgive her or – but then she'd have to give up Epona...

Her mind thrashed from one option to another unable to decide. But King Ganondorf had to be getting impatient already and she had to say something, anything...

“Of course not, Your Majesty. I'm telling the truth.”

“Are you now? If I recall correctly, you've lied to me once before.”

That caught her off guard and she could only manage a shaky, “W... when, Your Majesty? I don't remember... I haven't...”

“Yes, you have lied. Seven years ago, on your little ranch. I asked you if Rhiannon could outspeed the fastest horse of the King. You said yes. But then, mere months later, it just so happened that Rhiannon was too slow to keep up with said horse, and you cannot imagine what it cost me. _You cannot even imagine._ ”

In his words there echoed such contempt and anger that for a few seconds Malon was sure the King was going to jump off the throne and rip her apart right there and then, like a fox devouring a cucco that wandered too far from its coop. But no attack came, and the more she waited the more she realized King Ganondorf probably wanted her to say something (but wouldn't that just provoke him more, oh Goddesses...). Not knowing what else to do, Malon concentrated on the brooch. A memory of mum, confident and happy, flashed before her eyes. What would she say in this situation? No, that wasn't the right question – it wasn't hard to imagine what mum would say, with what tone and posture - but would Malon be able to do it as well? Doubt grew in her mind with every passing second. But she had to try, for Epona and for herself. She took a deep breath.

“Forgive me, Your Majesty,” she said calmly over the frantic beating of her heart, “but I recall telling you only that Rhiannon was always faster on our racetrack. I didn't say anything about riding in other conditions or an unknown environment. Also, I believe that it was the training Storm had received during her two years in the Castle that allowed her to outspeed-”

“Silence.”

Malon flinched, the voice striking like a whip. For a long moment it was completely quiet. Then King Ganondorf spoke again with some weird sweetness in his voice ( _like Ingo when he was really mad_ , she thought).

“Look at me.”

She followed the order. The glinting golden eyes bore into her and if she felt trapped before, she was now positively paralyzed. That stare seemed to enter her very soul and thought, searching. Her mind urged her to look away, but she feared what could happen if she did. A tear found its way down her cheek, then another, but she still forced herself to look straight into these awful, uncaring eyes.

“You have to know,” King Ganondorf said in a low voice, „that I _am_ able to forgive a lie, especially if the liar in question is a hard-working person devoted to their trade. I appreciate your determination. I have long recognized your knowledge and skills, your potential. In fact, I've decided to give Lon Lon Ranch to you.”

Malon's heart pounded faster. If she had the ranch – if Ingo could never again abuse the horses and her daddy could come back and they would all live happily -

“But first,” King Ganondorf continued, “I require a tribute, and that tribute shall be the horse Epona. A single horse for an entire ranch. Well?” He leaned closer. “What do you say, Malon?”

As if by magic, a vision spread before her eyes: Lon Lon ranch just like she had known it as a child, daddy greeting her in the sunny morning, the two of them and flowers and bales of hay, cuccos and cows, and happy well-treated horses _and there were two missing_ but who cared and mum, her wonderful never afraid of anything mum was standing at the fence _, looking at the storm clouds on the western horizon, red hair dancing in the strong wind, honey eyes full of anxiety that she tried to cover with a smile when she caught Malon looking-_

No, no! She had to snap out of it. She had to think and analyze. King Ganondorf said he recognized her skills – if so, why hadn't he made her the owner years ago? Why would he pick Ingo? Why would he let her be kicked around for seven long years?

Because he wanted to break her, just like he did with Rhiannon. Because he wanted the ranch to be a shiny incentive he could wave in front of her. Because he liked to make people want to give him all they had instead of just stealing from them. Because it gave him satisfaction.

But, she decided, he wasn't about to get any from her. Not this time.

“It is incredibly generous of you, Your Majesty, and I appreciate it,” she said firmly, “but I'm afraid no business offer can make an ill horse come back to health. Epona can't leave the ranch right now. Unless you wish for a dead mount, in which case we'll happily bring her, but the riding is going to be quite harder.”

For a long moment King Ganondorf wore an indecipherable expression. Then he snapped his fingers. At first Malon thought it was a sign to end her life and shuddered, but the sound only made one of the many monsters to come to his master with a sheet of vellum and an inkwell. King Ganondorf wrote in silence for a long moment before beckoning another monster to give him a stick of sealing wax.

“Take this letter as a proof and a reminder,” he said, “that I'm awaiting the horse in exactly four months. Alive.” He sealed the letter and his terrible eyes landed on Malon once again. “Forgive me for taking so much of your time,” he told her in a tone that betrayed he was not sorry at all, “but I prefer to make sure that no one ever lies to me. _No one at all._ ”

The sealed letter was given to a monster who passed it to her. Malon took the message with a quivering hand. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“Out of my sight.”

She bowed and backed off slowly. The lizard creature took her out of the throne room. She didn't look back once, not when the giant door closed behind her, not when she was led to the stables, not when she was riding Buttercup through the hills and the dark Castle Town, not even when she found herself in the calm breezy dawn of Hyrule Field. On the ranch she dismounted Buttercup, automatically tied him, unsaddled and unbridled, carefully groomed. And only then, when there was nothing else to do, did the emotions come crashing. Malon collapsed against the barn wall hugging herself tightly. She was still feeling the aftershocks of terror and yet the wonderful relief almost made her laugh.

Epona was safe. For at least five months nobody would come for her. And Malon did it all on her own, she went to that horrible place and talked with that monster of a man, and saved Epona, and it all seemed almost too easy now.

There was just one more thing to do. When Malon could stand up again, she retrieved the letter and entered the stables. Ingo still lay sleeping; it couldn't be later than five in the morning.

“Ingo!” She shook his shoulder. “Ingo, wake up!” And when he looked at her angry, she shoved the gold-adorned letter into his hand. “There's just been a postman... it's from the Castle...”

“The Castle?!” he shouted, straightened up and immediately broke the seal. He read the letter. Then he furrowed his brow and read it once more.

“Alright, so...” he started, “I understand that we have to wait a few months more to present Epona, but,” he waved the letter angrily, “what is this nonsense? Why does it say here _Seeing as the horse in question will be ridden with a sadly unknown yet painful disease for at least three months from now on before miraculously fully recovering_? She's glowing with health! Why, I could practically-”

A high-pitched neigh burst out from behind the gate. Then there was a thud.

“Epona?” Malon's heart stopped. “Epona!”

 

\---

 

Nobody who they asked in the next few days could help Epona; nobody could even recognize what disease she'd fallen with. Some told Malon it was a twisted kind of a miracle, that the mare was struck down with pain while her body seemed just fine and should allow her to run and live normally. There was nothing they could do but wait. Malon soon found herself sitting near Epona for long hours, sometimes entire nights, making sure her friend didn't suddenly get worse. On most of these nights, she held the letter King Ganondorf had written, reading it again and again, looking at the date Epona would be taken.

 _It's written on royal vellum,_ a memory of a voice stirred. _That means your King wishes it to be true, and if he wishes something to be true, it will be._

“I'm sorry,” Malon said even if Epona couldn't understand her, “I'm so sorry, this is all my fault... no, what am I talking about? It's his fault! At least you're safe from him for now, Epona, you're safe. I won't let him take you. If what is written has to come true, that means one day you'll be healthy again. You'll heal and you'll be the fastest, the bravest, the most beautiful horse around.”

She wanted to believe that Epona's little wink meant she understood, that she promised to get better.

“And, Epona, I forgot to tell you - I saw your mother, you know? She's alright. I spoke with her. And you know what she told me? That she loves you. And that she's... she's really proud of you...” Malon wiped at her suddenly wet eyes. Her heart tightened with an urge to pray. “Golden Goddesses,” she started, “if you can hear me, please help us. Stop this monster from taking Epona. I don't care how much it'll cost me, just let him be gone. And if you cannot make that he leaves us alone, if you cannot intervene yourselves, then I beg you for this at least, o Three Goddesses: allow me to take our fate in my hands! Send me courage! Send me courage to save Epona!”

Malon soon fell asleep, exhausted by all day's work and her friend's suffering. And while she rested, her pleas had to be picked up by the winds of the night and carried over to where the Goddesses heard them; for in a few months, not two weeks before the date written on the gold-adorned letter, the Courage to save Epona would come indeed, with a familiar song and a smile.

 

 

 

END


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